The Grey
by TessaPanda
Summary: An old divergent inspired one-shot I wrote about Mabel Pines and her boyfriend Bill and their experiences of living in Candor.


**A/N: This is really old, like four years old, but I decided to publish it anyway. Dunno why. and this is a one shot. And please limited criticism bevause this isn't current me writing this, it's 14 year old me. I can't time travel to change my writin gstyle back then. I hope it's not too bad.**

I walked down the hall of our school nervously. I shouldn't be nervous. All the students had to do this. I heard running behind me, and a hand grabbed mine.

I looked down and saw a familiar firm hand wearing a brick patterned black coat grab my small black sweater wearing hand. I looked up at a familiar crooked grin and blonde hair.

"You nervous, Mabel?" he asked, smiling.

"Totally. How can you be smiling, Bill?" I asked.

He shrugged. "Nightmares are fun, am I right?"

I shoved him, laughing. "Stop being such a creep!" That was classic Bill. He was afraid of nothing, even nightmares. He'd seek out fear. I assumed he'd be a natural Dauntless.

"Creepiness is my nature, you should know that by now!" Bill teased.

I did know that by now. I looked at him head to toe. Black coat, white undershirt, black bow tie, black pants. I looked down at my own outfit. A white sweater, black jeans, black shoes and white socks.

As we walked down the halls, I thought about this. We were Candor, that was our required apparel. Everything is black or white. Guilty or Innocent, Bad or Evil, Wrong or Right. The only thing not black and white was the grey heart on my sweater. It was a sign of rebellion. I don't believe in this black and white way of life. There is an in between, the grey.

I've learned about this. My boyfriend Bill is an example. We grew up together in Candor, and we've been best friends for as long as I can remember. I'm the only one who knows his secret. He's a dream demon, an orphan from a long line of evil demons who have all been bad, the black. Bill is different. He is the grey. Not completely good but not bad, not black but not white.

I was snapped out of my daze when Bill asked, You ready?" We were in the cafeteria. Large dentist like chairs and machinery were lined.

"No, not really," I shakily replied.

This was a test that was going to be administered to all students who said that they had some interest in Dauntless. This test would see if you could handle being in Dauntless.

I was sort of interested in Dauntless. I like adventure. Bill was very interested in Dauntless. Like I said, he seeks out fear.

I saw my brother Dipper, and I waved at him. He was talking to the administrator of the test, who was- Hey, that's Wendy! That's why Dipper was here. He just wanted to talk to his former crush. She left Candor two years ago and went to Dauntless. Like Bill seeks out fear, she seeks out danger. Dauntless is perfect for her.

Dipper misses her constantly. "But his aim is getting better!" Bill shouted out, reading my mind. I laughed. I knew he wouldn't be interested in Dauntless. With his smarts it's obvious he'll choose Erudite.

Everyone stood around in the cafeteria, a waiting what to do. Wendy stopped talking to Dipper and stood in the center of the cafeteria.

"My name is Wendy, and I'm a Dauntless. Some of you might recognize me, I was a Candor two years ago. You're all here because you all have some interest in Dauntless. This test will see if you can handle what happens in Dauntless. It will simulate everyone's worst nightmare, everyone they care about dying. I know, it's pretty dark, but if you can't handle it, you can't handle being Dauntless. Find a seat."

We all found a chair and Wendy came around and put electrodes on our head. She saw that I was nervous and said quietly, "Glad you're interested in Dauntless, Mabel. I could train you!"

She gave me a chewable pill and then moved onto Bill's chair. I ate it and then went unconscious.

I was now in the simulation, and I was looking through my own eyes. It was Bill, Dipper, and me, all sitting in the lounge area of the Candor headquarters. Dipper looked pretty mad, and Bill looked defensive. I couldn't hear what they were saying yet.

The first thing I heard was Dipper shouting at Bill. "Why, why didn't you tell us you were a demon?!"

"I did! Mabel knows!" Bill protested.

"So Mabel knows but no one else? You've probably been taking advantage of her!"

"No, no, I'm not! Trust me!"

"STAN!" Dipper shouted.

"What are you doing?" Bill said nervously. "If he comes it's bad news for me! Don't tell him I'm a demon!"

Dipper pulled his phone out of his pocket and showed Bill. It was on speaker the whole time and Stan had heard what he and Bill said.

Bill's eyes glowed yellow. "You little-" Bill reached his arm out to grab Dipper. Dipper pulled out a knife "Don't touch me, Cipher!" He growled.

"Woah, woah! Calm down! Mabel you trust me right?" I tried to respond but I couldn't talk at all, or even move. Bill reached out for my shoulder.

"Don't touch her!" Dipper shrieked. Bill didn't see him, but behind him was Great Uncle Stan with a gun. He was waiting for the right moment. I tried to warn him but I couldn't say anything.

"I can touch her if I want!" Bill defiantly said. He grabbed my shoulder. "Mabel has found nothing wrong with me being a demon, and I have had no intension of hurting her for the 13 years I've known her," Bill turned to look at me reassuringly.

Dipper took that moment he looked at me and threw his knife at Bill. Bill ducked and it grazed his shoulder and still flew past Bill, hitting Stan in the chest.

As Stan fell to the ground he used the last of his strength to shoot Bill in the back. I tried to scream but I opened my mouth and nothing would come out, as much as I forced air out.

Bill doubled over and his body turned solid black. The only color showing was his solid yellow glowing eyes with a slit pupil, and a glowing white outline of all his features. His facial features, the outline of his hair, the brick pattern I stitched myself on his black coat, and his mouth Whig was twisted into a sick grin. I have never seen Bill like that, and it was scaring me.

A knife appeared in his hand, and he stabbed Dipper in the stomach before crumpling to the ground and returning to his normal color. His eyes turned back to their normal golden irises. Bill weakly grabbed my hand.

Red blood poured from all three of them, contrasting against the black and white checkered floor. _None of this is real. This will never happen. _I told myself. Bill's hand went limp and let go of mine. I would be crying but I couldn't do anything but helplessly watch.

I watched them bleed out for awhile more and just as I felt like I couldn't take any more, things started to get blurry. The black and the white furnishings blurred to grey.

I woke up and jolted straight up in my chair. I was sweating and gasping for air, tears were streaming down my face. I started sobbing even harder. I looked around at everyone else. A lot of them were crying, but none were as hard as me.

I looked over to my left, and Bill wasn't there. A flash of panic came over me, but I shook it off.

Still crying, I stood up and walked over to Wendy. "W-Wendy, where's B-Bill?"

"Oh my god, you aren't okay, are you?" She asked, putting a hand on my shoulder. I shook my head. "Most people are shaken up, but not as bad as you. Well, Bill was pretty shaken up."

I wiped some tears away. "Where is he now?" I asked, panicking.

"I'm guessing he was in that simulation too?" I nodded again. "His simulation was a lot shorter then everyone elses, and as soon as it was over he ran out."

"Thanks, Wendy," I muttered.

"I'm guessing you aren't going to be in Dauntless anymore?" Wendy asked.

My eyes widened as I shook my head. "No, not at all."

"I understand. They didn't offer this test when I became Dauntless," Wendy replied. She looked down and added, "I've seen a few die."

"I know for sure that it's not for me then."

Wendy nodded. "Alright. Well, it was good getting to see you and Dipper again!" She said with a weak attempt at a smile.

I tried to smile back but I probably didn't do a good job. Something struck me and I gasped. "Is anyone able to see what happened in my simulation?"

"No, not that I'm aware of," Wendy said, shaking her head. "Why?"

"Nothing I want to talk about. Bye Wendy," I said. If anyone found put that Bill was a demon, a scene like the one I just witnessed might happen.

"Hope I get to see you again, Mabel!" She called and I left. The test took up my 6th period, so I was time to get to my 7th period.

It was geography, a class that you can pass by reading your notes one night before the test, you don't even have to listen to the lectures the teacher does everyday. Which I was thankful for. I was pretty upset and didn't want to do any work. I sat down in my desk and watched the other students file in.

The desk in front of me was empty. That was were Bill sat. I was seriously worried about him. What if he saw something worse then I did and ran off? I hope he didn't go and do something stupid. I don't know what I'd do if I lost him.

As soon as class was over I grabbed my bags and ran as fast as I could back to Candor headquarters. I raced up to my quarters, and threw my bag down. I was here before my parents and Dipper. I slammed the door close and ran through the black and white tiled halls. I did what I always do always do as I go down the halls. I make my eyes slightly cross eyed and make the tiles blur into grey, the way I like it.

I got to Bill's quarters and bolted in. It was a place I was familiar with. This was a lonely place, he had no one to share it with, so I was in here a lot.

Like my room, it was as decorated as it could without it breaking the code of black and white. The comforter on his bed was solid black, and I had stitched a white outline of a triangle on it for him. Some of the pillows were black and white striped, and some were black tie-die, which I did of course. He had a lamp which on the shade I had painted a black geometric design. His desk was white covered with doodles in black paint we did together. As you can see I'm really artistic.

Bill was sitting on his bed, pillows all around him and his face in his hands. I moved some pillows aside and sat next to him.

"Bill, are you okay? You skipped class," I asked softly. For a long time he did nothing, and I just sat next to him, our bodies touching. I put a hand on his shoulder, and he then wrapped his arms around me and tightly pulled me close to him. Tight.

"Don't go anywhere, okay. Don't ever leave me, Mabel. Ever," his voice quavered. He was trying hard not to cry. He ran a hand through my hair.

"I won't leave you, I promise, now stop choking me!" I reassured him. I tried to pull away from his choking embrace, but he wouldn't let me go. I finally stopped resisting and laid my head in his lap.

"I love you Mabel. And I can't lose you," he said, still trying not cry.

"I love you too," I said softly. He stroked my hair. I looked up at him from his lap. "What was in your simulation?"

Bill gulped. "It... It was you..."

"You were one of the people in mine too," I said.

"You were the only one in my simulation. You... We... We were walking down the sidewalk together, and this hand reached out from a dark alley and grabbed you. I couldn't move at all. You... You were stabbed. I was powerless to help. I had to watch you die!" He started crying.

"Oh my gosh Bill, I'm so sorry," I said, crying with him.

"You were the only one in my simulation. You're the only person I have. Without you, I'd be nothing,"

I grabbed his hand. "That won't happen. I promise."

Bill sniffled. "What happened in yours?" I stiffened. I tried to pull out of Bill's embrace, but he still wouldn't let me go.

"Dipper found out you were a demon and... pulled out a knife. Stan heard and was behind you with a gun. Dipper threw the knife at you, but it missed you and hit Stan. Stan shot you from behind as he died. Then... you got evil, you're whole body went black, and you weren't in control... and you stabbed Dipper. I couldn't move at all, I watched all of you die."

"That's terrible, I'd never..." He broke off. "... I'd never do that. I hope. I try my best to stay as the grey. For you."

"Thank you," I softly said.

"You're all I have. And I _won't _lose you," he said firmly. He let go of me and sat up. I took a much needed breath.

Suprising me, he pulled me into a kiss. Not like a peck on the cheek or forehead like he'd done before. On the lips. This was real. I was shocked but then went with it. I wrapped my arms around his neck. After what seemed like forever, he broke away from the kiss.

"I'm assuming no Dauntless?" I asked when I pulled away.

Bill gave me a funny look. "Heck no Dauntless,"

I laughed. "Same here. But..." I added "It was the perfect place for you!"

Bill started playing with my hair. "The perfect place for me is with you."

"I know we aren't suppose to talk about it, but... Amity? No one is going to get killed there. It's all about peace."

Bill wrinkled his nose. "Ew, peace." I laughed. "But it's worth it if I can be with you."

"Plus, yellow is one of their colors," I added as a bonus incentive.

Bill grinned and clapped his hands together. "I like yellow." I giggled. Bill pulled me backwards and we both laid back on his bed, for what seemed like an eternity.


End file.
